Gridlock fears as village set for 500 homes
Community group is ‘absolutely horrified’ after 265 new homes are expected to be built in the Valley EVERY YEAR
DEVELOPMENT plans which would increase the size of a village by more than a half will cause ‘gridlock’, it’s been warned. Rossendale’s new Local Plan outlines proposals for 4,000 new homes - including 500 in Edenfield.
Councillors and campaigners in the village have slammed the “absolutely outrageous” plans and claim amenities such as roads, schools, and public services won’t be able to cope.
Paul Bradburn, chairman of Edenfield Village Residents Association, said: “We are absolutely horrified. There are 900 houses in Edenfield and they are proposing to increase the number by 55 per cent. It’s just ridiculous.”
Councillor Janice Johnson said an independent review had identified it as a desirable area which was close to the M66. She added: “But it’s not going to be a nice place to live if there’s another 400-plus houses. It’s just going to be gridlock.”
The council’s target would see 265 homes built in the borough every year until 2034. Sites in Rawtenstall, Bacup, Haslingden and Whitworth have all been earmarked for developments in excess of 100 homes.
RESIDENTS and community groups have revealed their outrage over “ridiculous” plans which could see an extra 4,000 homes to be built across the Valley.
Concerns have been raised over the future appearance of the borough and the sustainability of local schools, health services and transport links, with up to 265 homes expected to be built EVERY YEAR by 2034.
Education and health bosses have warned that schools in many areas are ‘operating close to capacity’ and that the projected population increase of 9,400 people would see all nine GP practices in Rossendale full up in the first five years of the scheme.
Rossendale council’s new local plan has earmarked five sites for 100plus home developments, while Edenfield could see nearly 500 new homes in total.
Paul Bradburn, chairman of the Edenfield Village Residents Association, said the proposals are ‘absolutely outrageous’.
He said: “We are absolutely horrified. There are 900 houses in Edenfield and they are proposing to increase the number by 55 per cent. It’s just ridiculous and absolutely outrageous.
“The whole thing is appalling. We will oppose it, there’s no doubt about that. In the past it was said that development should be sustainable.”
Eden ward councillor Janice Johnson said the village would face “gridlock” in the future.
She said: “We have got some battles ahead of us.
“We’ve only got two little schools in Edenfield which are both full and oversubscribed. The Government are insisting this is what Rossendale council does. The Government put in an independent reviewer who decided that it’s the nicest area to live in and is closer to the M66 and people don’t want to travel. But it’s not going to be a nice place to live if there’s another 400plus houses.
“It’s just going to be gridlock. People are so upset about the amount of traffic at the moment but what’s it going to be like in the future?”
Jenny Mead, a member of Edenfield Methodist Church and EVRA, said: “We haven’t got the infrastructure to cope with such a big increase in the number of properties. We’ve now no doctors surgery and have lost the bank and post office. It would be nice to think that those could return if more houses are built, but normally once you lose then they are never replaced and are lost for ever.”
By far the largest site earmarked in the plan is 273 homes off Market Street, Edenfield, followed by Cowtoot Lane in Bacup (151 homes), 111 off East- gate, Whitworth, 106 on land south of Grane Road and east of Holcombe Road, Haslingden, and 105 on Newchurch Road, outside Rawtenstall.
Peter Sweetmore, chairman of governors at Tor View School in Haslingden, said the extra homes should only be built once adequte infrastructure is in place.
He said: “Funding for schools and the NHS is dropping rapidly so how can they expect to take on more people who want to move in?”
Earlier this year initial plans to build up to 5,000 new Valley homes were scrapped after showdown talks with the Government.
MP Jake Berry said the 4,000 figure could be reduced further if new government legislation is introduced. He said: “It’s progress that it’s been reduced by one-fifth but I’m working to see if the number can be reduced further so we can have a realistically deliverable target in the Rossendale Valley.”
Haslingden Coun Granville Morris said “hopefully” the reduced target was achievable, adding: “It’s a very nice place to live and we have got to be prepared to accommodate that need. I think those (infrastructure) concerns have to be overcome and funding has to be obtained from these developments to sort these issues out.”
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